Who Benefits from Somatic Experiencing®?

Somatic Experiencing® (SE) is beneficial for anyone who has experienced chronic stress, trauma, or overwhelming events with little to no support. Making them feel stuck, frightened, or unsafe. Symptoms can include:

  • Chronic pain
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Digestive concerns
  • Feeling shutdown or numb
  • Anxiety or depression

SE therapy can help you:

  • Process and release trauma and chronic stress
  • Move through overwhelming grief
  • Trust your emotions and body’s signals
  • Regain your sense of safety and confidence
Somatic Experiencing benefits

It is also beneficial for anyone wanting to guide their nervous system towards a more regulated and flexible state.

With your consent, sessions may include gentle touch to encourage flow in your nervous system. My background as a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) equips me with strong professional ethics, which I bring to SE touch sessions.

Understanding Somatic Experiencing®

Developed by Dr. Peter Levine, Somatic Experiencing® is a form of body-oriented therapy based on the theory of the nervous system. When faced with a threat, ideally our nervous systems allow us to either get away from the threat (flee), or fight it off, if we can (think of animals in the wild). Then, our physiology (heart rate, breathing, muscle tone) comes back into a relaxed state.

However, sometimes these natural self-protective responses (fight or flee) are not options, and we go into a state of freeze. When this happens, survival energy that the body would have liked to use at the time of an overwhelming event, gets locked in the nervous system. This can leave us with a range of physical, mental, and emotional symptoms from being unconsciously stuck in fight, flee, or freeze patterns.

Understanding Somatic Experiencing
Understanding Somatic Experiencing SE

Healing from emotional distress or trauma is a hard path to walk alone. Somatic Experiencing® offers a therapeutic approach that is both gentle and transformative. By focusing on sensations as well as other aspects of your present moment experience, I support your body in completing natural, self-protective responses that may not have happened at the time of an overwhelming event. After this trapped survival energy is released, you will start to notice feeling more safe, confident, and having more choice in how you show up in the world. Old patterns truly can heal!

Benefits of Somatic Experiencing® include:

  • Stress and Anxiety Relief: By tracking physical sensations (e.g. heart racing, shallow breathing, muscle tension) associated with stress and anxiety while maintaining a sense of safety, SE helps gently release trapped survival energy from your nervous system. SE helps you develop new, more purposeful ways of interacting with your environment, which is why Somatic Experiencing® for stress relief is so effective.

  • Trauma Recovery: Somatic Experiencing® aids clients in safely processing and integrating difficult experiences through awareness of physical sensations, enhancing its role as a prime somatic therapy for trauma recovery.

  • Increased Self-Awareness: SE encourages a deeper connection with one’s body and emotions. This heightened awareness is crucial in understanding the root causes of emotional distress and can lead to profound and helpful personal insights.

  • Improved Relationships: By strengthening your trust in your inner experience, SE can help you explore and assert your personal boundaries, leading to better relationships.

  • Developing Body Awareness: SE helps clients become more attuned to their bodies by gently tracking areas of comfort and discomfort, in the present moment. This is particularly beneficial for those who feel disconnected from their bodies due to trauma.

Client Testimonials

I am totally convinced that your wonderful touch made the healing so much faster. I never dreamed I’d be able to lift my arm up on its own, and I can! Thank you so much, Liz – it’s a miracle!
~ Molly B., SE Touch client, Vernon, B.C.

Liz gently guided me back to my own inner knowing and offered practical tools for when I end up in similar situations going forward. This had me leave the session with greater confidence in my capacity to handle overwhelming situations in the future. What a huge gift!

~ Helena E., SE client, Vancouver, B.C.

Somatic Experiencing® Sessions

I offer Somatic Experiencing® sessions both online and in-person for adults of all ages. Each session is tailored to meet your needs on that particular day.

For in-person sessions, please book a free consultation to discuss location options. Meeting in a nearby park or forest for an easy walk combines SE with the benefits of being in nature. I can come to your neighbourhood in South Surrey, White Rock, Vancouver, North Vancouver, and Burnaby.

Embrace Healing with Somatic Experiencing®

As your SE Practitioner, I am committed to guiding you through a personalized healing process that respects your unique experiences and challenges. Together, we will work towards not just recovery, but a renewed sense of aliveness and peace. For more information or to schedule a consultation, please contact me today.